We’ve got an event for you!

On Thursday, August 21st, at noon EST, we’re hosting a FREE networking event for the Brazen community, with a focus on professionals who work in RECRUITING and HR.

That means if you work in recruiting or HR — or you want to work in recruiting or HR — you should join us!

Click here to register.

Our community is full of ambitious young professionals — hustlers, creatives and entrepreneurs who understand the importance of having a job you love. We want to help you meet one another, so you can rely on the support of your peers as you navigate your own career. We’ve organized this networking event online and during your lunch hour, so you can attend whether you work for an employer or have your own business.

Most importantly, this will be FUN! Remember, Brazen Careerist originated as a social network, and we still believe relationships are the foundation of a successful career. As an added bonus, this is an opportunity to try out Brazen’s software, the same awesome platform we use for recruiting events.

How It Works

It couldn’t be easier to join this event. Register now, and we’ll send you a link to join us on Thursday, August 21st.

During the event, you’ll be paired with multiple participants from around the region, country and world for several rounds of seven-minute, text-based chats. We’ll even save those conversations for you so you can revisit them later. After the event, we encourage you to connect with any interesting people on your favorite social networks; that will help you turn your chat into a mutually-beneficial relationship.

It’s like online speed dating, minus the awkwardness.

Hope you’ll join us!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Work (or Want to Work) in Recruiting or HR? Join Us for This Free Networking Event appeared first on Brazen Life.

Intuit’s Demandforce is hosting a fun online event to hire rock stars for their Account Executive roles. It’s on Thursday, August 5 from 1-3pm PT.

Learn more about the event and register here »

At this online hiring event, you’ll chat directly with Intuit recruiters to learn more about the role, and get the inside scoop on what it’s like to work for Intuit. You’ll be matched in timed chats with Intuit recruiters while they see information about your awesome background. And if they think you could be a fit for the role, you’ll hear from them about next steps.

Here’s what Intuit says about this event:

We are looking for people who want to grow within the Company and become the next top sales executive. Our sales team is energetic, positive, competitive, and excited to be part of one of the fastest growing companies in the Bay Area.

Register now for this exciting event and get your foot in the door! Register here »

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Live in San Fran? Here’s How to Launch Your Sales Career appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’ve got an event for you!

On Thursday, July 17th, at noon EST, we’re hosting a FREE networking event for the Brazen community, with a focus on professionals who work at NONPROFITS and ASSOCIATIONS.

That means if you work for a nonprofit, or you want to work for a nonprofit, you should join us!

Click here to register.

Our community is full of ambitious young professionals — hustlers, creatives and entrepreneurs who understand the importance of having a job you love. We want to help you meet one another, so you can rely on the support of your peers as you navigate your own career. We’ve organized this networking event online and during your lunch hour, so you can attend whether you work for an employer or have your own business.

Most importantly, this will be FUN! Remember, Brazen Careerist originated as a social network, and we still believe relationships are the foundation of a successful career. As an added bonus, this is an opportunity to try out Brazen’s software, the same awesome platform we use for recruiting events.

How It Works

It couldn’t be easier to join this event. Register now, and we’ll send you a link to join us on Thursday, July 17th.

During the event, you’ll be paired with multiple participants from around the region, country and world for several rounds of seven-minute, text-based chats. We’ll even save those conversations for you so you can revisit them later. After the event, we encourage you to connect with any interesting people on your favorite social networks; that will help you turn your chat into a mutually-beneficial relationship.

It’s like online speed dating, minus the awkwardness.

Hope you’ll join us!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Work (or Want to Work) for a Nonprofit? Join Us for This Free Networking Event appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’ve got an event for you!

On Thursday, June 19th, at noon EDT, we’re hosting a FREE networking event for the Brazen community, with a focus on DIGITAL CAREERS.

That means if you work in digital or you want to work in digital, you should join us!

Click here to register.

Our community is full of ambitious young professionals — hustlers, creatives and entrepreneurs who understand the importance of having a job you love. We want to help you meet one another, so you can rely on the support of your peers as you navigate your own career. We’ve organized this networking event online and during your lunch hour, so you can attend whether you work for an employer or have your own business.

Most importantly, this will be FUN! Remember, Brazen Careerist originated as a social network, and we still believe relationships are the foundation of a successful career. As an added bonus, this is an opportunity to try out Brazen’s software, the same awesome platform we use for recruiting events.

How It Works

It couldn’t be easier to join this event. Register now, and we’ll send you a link to join us on Wednesday, January 15.

During the event, you’ll be paired with multiple participants from around the region, country and world for several rounds of seven-minute, text-based chats. We’ll even save those conversations for you so you can revisit them later. After the event, we encourage you to connect with any interesting people on your favorite social networks; that will help you turn your chat into a mutually-beneficial relationship.

It’s like online speed dating, minus the awkwardness.

Hope you’ll join us!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Work (or Want to Work) in Digital? Join Us for This Free Networking Event appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t that sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with Bryaman Construction, Geico, Raytheon Engineering, Intuit, and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with University of Rochester, Ohio State, Villonova, DePaul, Penn State, LaGrange College, Virginia Military Institute, and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections. Don’t you want to be in on this goodness? Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list! If you’re with a university, employer or other group, click here to host your own online networking event. We’ll be in touch right away!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (June) appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’ve got an event for you!

On Thursday, May 15th, at noon EDT, we’re hosting a FREE networking event for the Brazen community, with a focus on HIGHER EDUCATION.

That means if you work in higher education or you want to work in higher education, you should join us!

Click here to register.

Our community is full of ambitious professionals — hustlers, creatives and entrepreneurs who understand the importance of having a job you love. We want to help you meet one another, so you can rely on the support of your peers as you navigate your own career. We’ve organized this networking event online and during your lunch hour.

Most importantly, this will be FUN! Remember, Brazen Careerist originated as a social network, and we still believe relationships are the foundation of a successful career. As an added bonus, this is an opportunity to try out Brazen’s software, the same awesome platform we use for recruiting events.

How It Works

It couldn’t be easier to join this event. Register now, and we’ll send you a link to join us on Thursday, May 15.

During the event, you’ll be paired with multiple participants from around the region, country and world for several rounds of seven-minute, text-based chats. We’ll even save those conversations for you so you can revisit them later. After the event, we encourage you to connect with any interesting people on your favorite social networks; that will help you turn your chat into a mutually-beneficial relationship.

It’s like online speed dating, minus the awkwardness.

Hope you’ll join us!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Work (or Want to Work) in Higher Education? Join Us for This Free Networking Event appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t that sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with Apple, TriNet, KPMG, Edward Jones, and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with Penn State, Carnegie Mellon University, Virginia Military Institute, UPenn, University of Iowa, and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections.

Don’t you want to be in on this goodness?

Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list!

If you’re with a university, employer or other group, click here to host your own online networking event. We’ll be in touch right away!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (May) appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’ve got an event for you!

On Thursday, April 17th, at noon EST, we’re hosting a FREE networking event for the Brazen community, with a focus on professionals who work in MARKETING and COMMUNICATIONS.

That means if you work in marketing and communications — or you want to work in marketing and communications — you should join us!

Click here to register.

Our community is full of ambitious young professionals — hustlers, creatives and entrepreneurs who understand the importance of having a job you love. We want to help you meet one another, so you can rely on the support of your peers as you navigate your own career. We’ve organized this networking event online and during your lunch hour, so you can attend whether you work for an employer or have your own business.

Most importantly, this will be FUN! Remember, Brazen Careerist originated as a social network, and we still believe relationships are the foundation of a successful career. As an added bonus, this is an opportunity to try out Brazen’s software, the same awesome platform we use for recruiting events.

How It Works

It couldn’t be easier to join this event. Register now, and we’ll send you a link to join us on Thursday, April 17th.

During the event, you’ll be paired with multiple participants from around the region, country and world for several rounds of seven-minute, text-based chats. We’ll even save those conversations for you so you can revisit them later. After the event, we encourage you to connect with any interesting people on your favorite social networks; that will help you turn your chat into a mutually-beneficial relationship.

It’s like online speed dating, minus the awkwardness.

Hope you’ll join us!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Work (or Want to Work) in Marketing and Communications? Join Us for This Free Networking Event appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t that sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with GettingHired, LGS, DC Business Leadership Network, National Labor Exchange Military Career Fair, and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with Columbia Alumni Association, UPenn, Lehigh University, Oregon State, University of Kentucky Alumni Association, and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections.

Don’t you want to be in on this goodness?

Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list!

If you’re with a university, employer or other group, click here to host your own online networking event. We’ll be in touch right away!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (April) appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’ve got an event for you!

On Thursday, March 20th, at noon EST, we’re hosting a FREE networking event for the Brazen community, with a focus on professionals who work in RECRUITING and HR.

That means if you work in recruiting or HR — or you want to work in recruiting or HR — you should join us!

Click here to register.

Our community is full of ambitious young professionals — hustlers, creatives and entrepreneurs who understand the importance of having a job you love. We want to help you meet one another, so you can rely on the support of your peers as you navigate your own career. We’ve organized this networking event online and during your lunch hour, so you can attend whether you work for an employer or have your own business.

Most importantly, this will be FUN! Remember, Brazen Careerist originated as a social network, and we still believe relationships are the foundation of a successful career. As an added bonus, this is an opportunity to try out Brazen’s software, the same awesome platform we use for recruiting events.

How It Works

It couldn’t be easier to join this event. Register now, and we’ll send you a link to join us on Thursday, March 20th.

During the event, you’ll be paired with multiple participants from around the region, country and world for several rounds of seven-minute, text-based chats. We’ll even save those conversations for you so you can revisit them later. After the event, we encourage you to connect with any interesting people on your favorite social networks; that will help you turn your chat into a mutually-beneficial relationship.

It’s like online speed dating, minus the awkwardness.

Hope you’ll join us!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Work (or Want to Work) in Recruiting or HR? Join Us for This Free Networking Event appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t that sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with Apple, Mathworks, Raytheon, DICE, Edward Jones, American Express, and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with Penn State, American University, Ohio State, Boston College, University of Kentucky, George Washington School of Business, and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections.

Don’t you want to be in on this goodness?

Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list!

If you’re with a university, employer or other group, click here to host your own online networking event. We’ll be in touch right away!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (March) appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’ve got an event for you!

On Thursday, February 20th, at noon EST, we’re hosting a FREE networking event for the Brazen community, with a focus on professionals who work at NONPROFITS and ASSOCIATIONS.

That means if you work for a nonprofit, or you want to work for a nonprofit, you should join us!

Click here to register.

Our community is full of ambitious young professionals — hustlers, creatives and entrepreneurs who understand the importance of having a job you love. We want to help you meet one another, so you can rely on the support of your peers as you navigate your own career. We’ve organized this networking event online and during your lunch hour, so you can attend whether you work for an employer or have your own business.

Most importantly, this will be FUN! Remember, Brazen Careerist originated as a social network, and we still believe relationships are the foundation of a successful career. As an added bonus, this is an opportunity to try out Brazen’s software, the same awesome platform we use for recruiting events.

How It Works

It couldn’t be easier to join this event. Register now, and we’ll send you a link to join us on Thursday, February 20th.

During the event, you’ll be paired with multiple participants from around the region, country and world for several rounds of seven-minute, text-based chats. We’ll even save those conversations for you so you can revisit them later. After the event, we encourage you to connect with any interesting people on your favorite social networks; that will help you turn your chat into a mutually-beneficial relationship.

It’s like online speed dating, minus the awkwardness.

Hope you’ll join us!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Work (or Want to Work) for a Nonprofit? Join Us for This Free Networking Event appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t that sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with American Express, DICE Western, Software AG, Council on International Educational Exchange, MOAA/Corporate Gray and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with University of Nevada, DePaul, University of Iowa Alumni, Villanova, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Oregon University, Virginia Military Institute and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections.

Don’t you want to be in on this goodness?

Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list!

If you’re with a university, employer or other group, click here to host your own online networking event. We’ll be in touch right away!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (February) appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’ve got an event for you!

On Wednesday, January 15th, at noon EST, we’re hosting a FREE networking event for the Brazen community, with a focus on DIGITAL CAREERS.

That means if you work in digital or you want to work in digital, you should join us!

Click here to register.

Our community is full of ambitious young professionals — hustlers, creatives and entrepreneurs who understand the importance of having a job you love. We want to help you meet one another, so you can rely on the support of your peers as you navigate your own career. We’ve organized this networking event online and during your lunch hour, so you can attend whether you work for an employer or have your own business.

Most importantly, this will be FUN! Remember, Brazen Careerist originated as a social network, and we still believe relationships are the foundation of a successful career. As an added bonus, this is an opportunity to try out Brazen’s software, the same awesome platform we use for recruiting events.

How It Works

It couldn’t be easier to join this event. Register now, and we’ll send you a link to join us on Wednesday, January 15.

During the event, you’ll be paired with multiple participants from around the region, country and world for several rounds of seven-minute, text-based chats. We’ll even save those conversations for you so you can revisit them later. After the event, we encourage you to connect with any interesting people on your favorite social networks; that will help you turn your chat into a mutually-beneficial relationship.

It’s like online speed dating, minus the awkwardness.

Hope you’ll join us!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Work (or Want to Work) in Digital? Join Us for This Free Networking Event appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t that sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with LGS Innovation, Clipper Magazine, Cellular Sales, Deloitte, and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with Columbia Business School, Lehigh, Villanova, UPenn, Eastern Michigan University, Greenville Technical College, University of New Hampshire, and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections.

Don’t you want to be in on this goodness?

Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list!

If you’re with a university, employer or other group, click here to host your own online networking event. We’ll be in touch right away!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (January) appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t that sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with Verizon in sponsorship with The Wounded Warrior Project, Stonegate Mortgage, National Association of Colleges & Employers, Conference for Women MA and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with University of Nevada in sponsorship with Volkswagen, Penn Graduate School of Education Resume Review, George Washington University, Penn State Alumni Association, and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections.

Don’t you want to be in on this goodness?

Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list!

Brazen Life is a lifestyle and career blog for ambitious young professionals. Hosted by Brazen Careerist, we offer edgy and fun ideas for navigating the changing world of work. Be Brazen!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (December) appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t that sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with Deloitte, Raytheon, Dice, Gannett Digital, Corporate Executive Board, Women for Hire, American Express and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with Temple University, Penn State, University of New Hampshire, George Washington Business School, University of Pittsburgh and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections.

Don’t you want to be in on this goodness?

Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (October) appeared first on Brazen Life.

But did you know Brazen also partners with popular employers and universities around the country to put on virtual career fairs and networking events?

Our platform allows talented candidates to connect directly with recruiters, hiring managers and other decision-makers to see if there’s a match with a particular company or organization. Doesn’t this sound more civilized than applying to a standard job listing and never hearing anything back?

Many of our partners ask us to bring the best job candidates to these events, which means YOU have a chance to get recruited. This is your opportunity to take a step up in your industry and transition into your dream job.

Want an invite to our next event? Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you posted!

Get psyched about these upcoming events

This month, an impressive roster of employers, universities and organizations are hosting events on the Brazen platform. We’re excited to partner with Cablevision, Dice, Accenture, Canon USA, Federal Aviation Administration, Bayer, The Wounded Warrior Project in partnership with Raytheon and many more impressive employers who are looking to chat one-on-one about open positions — as well as make hires.

On the university side, we’re working with Columbia Alumni Association, George Washington Alumni Association, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, Pennsylvania State University and more to host networking events that help alumni and students make valuable connections.

Don’t you want to be in on this goodness?

Sign up for our newsletter to get on the invite list!

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post Get Recruited: Upcoming Brazen Recruiting and Networking Events (September) appeared first on Brazen Life.

Because we get so many submissions, we notice trends in what works and what doesn’t. We’ve outlined many of those trends in our submission guidelines telling potential writers what we like to see in guest posts.

But what about what we don’t like to see? What big mistakes do writers make when pitching guest posts?

The biggest mistake by far is pitching a topic that’s not relevant for our audience of young professionals. But for this post, we want to take it a step further, letting you in on mistakes we commonly see even in posts on well-thought-out topics.

So here are the two most common mistakes we see writers make when submitting posts to Brazen Life. We’ve also made suggestions on how to fix these problems, so you can increase your chances of seeing your byline on this blog.

1. Writing a weak introduction

The introduction is the most important part of your piece because it’s your one chance to rope in the reader and convince them that they should keep reading.

In journalism, we call this the lead. It needs to be awesome.

Yet too many writers focus solely on the content of their post, letting the lead falter or forgetting to write an introduction altogether. The worst kind of introduction we see in our editing queue (and it’s terribly common) is one that begins with a statistic:

Four out of five graduates who earn a degree in happiness can’t find a job.

OR

We all know the job market is less than stellar, with 85 percent of aliens unable to land work.

Both of those statistics are made up, but you get the idea. Starting with a statistic is boring. It also usually tells us something we already know: that the job market sucks.

Instead, start with a line that will resonate with your reader! Here are a few recent examples from our blog:

What group of employees can’t fathom starting work before 10:00 a.m., require heaps of praise for even the most remedial tasks, turn to Google for everything and make up excuses to take days off work? (Read the entire post here.)

We all have that one thing in our lives we keep around without really knowing why. (Read the full post here.)

Dealing with the rejection and subsequent dejection that often accompanies an extended job search can be difficult. And then someone has to come along and dump salt in the wound by asking, “So…how’s the job search going?” (Read the full post here.)

Don’t start your post by telling us how terrible the job market is, and please, please, PLEASE don’t start it with a statistic.

2. Starting your post in the I voice rather than the you voice

On your personal blog, first-person stories might work well. Your readers likely already feel a bond with you, so they enjoy hearing about your personal experience right from the start.

But Brazen Life is a multi-author blog, and many of our writers are first-time contributors. That means it’s pretty likely our readers won’t be familiar with you. Because of that, we find first-person introductions aren’t as effective.

Instead, write your first paragraph or two in the you voice, talking to our readers about how whatever issue you’re writing about affects their lives.

Not sure what the you voice means? Here’s a real example from our blog:

Are you thinking about taking some time off to figure out your next career step? (Read the entire post here.)

This is far more effective than starting a post with something like:

When I took time off from my career, I made some big mistakes.

Want more examples? Check out Step No. 1 of this Problogger post.

This doesn’t mean you can never write I. First-person examples often help prove the point you’re trying to make, so long as you can tell your own story effectively. We love personal examples sprinkled into a blog post; we just don’t want the entire post to be about you.

Focus on the reader, and that reader will be more likely to relate to your post.

If you’re really stuck on how to present your idea in an effective way, try following this formula for the perfect blog post.

Interested in writing for Brazen Life? Here are our guidelines.

Alexis Grant is managing editor of Brazen life. She blogs about how to make your own luck and runs a content-marketing business.

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The post The 2 Most Common Mistakes Guest Bloggers Make When Submitting to Brazen Life appeared first on Brazen Life.

Published by Tribune Media Services, this guide includes the best of Brazen, a compilation of readers’ favorite posts. After all, who better to help 20-somethings navigate the career landscape than 20-somethings themselves? Contributors to this ebook are all Millennials like you, ambitious careerists who share your fears, dreams and occasional quirks. They’ve learned a lot – sometimes the hard way – about how to circumvent obstacles and succeed in a challenging (OK, crummy) job market. And they share it all here.

The ebook, which you’ll be able to read on the iPad, Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Sony’s eReader — hey, we cover our bases! — will be available later this month (April). Keep your eyes on this blog for details!

So get ready for an unorthodox, fun-to-read guide that will help you reach your career goals! Be Brazen.

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The post Coming Soon: Brazen’s New Ebook Full of Daring Job Advice appeared first on Brazen Life.

But our community didn’t like Facebook comments. Brazenities — that’s YOU! — told us that even though Facebook’s comment system was easy to use, you didn’t like having to log in via Facebook to leave a comment. Many of you also didn’t appreciate your interaction on our site showing up on your Facebook page.

We heard you! We want this blog to be fun, enjoyable and most of all, helpful. And we want you to be able to comment easily, without worrying about whether your interaction shows up on other social sites.

Because of your feedback, we’re now transitioning to DISQUS comments. Starting today, when you go to leave a comment on a post, you’ll log in through DISQUS instead — and based on your feedback, that’s a move that will make you smile.

We hope this transition will make it easier and more enjoyable for you to leave comments for our contributing writers and to chat with one another in the comments.

Thanks for telling us what’s important to you!

Be Brazen,

Alexis Grant, managing editor

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But if the idea of working for a fast-paced, fast-growing and innovative company sounds like your idea of a good time, stop by our Brazen Sales Digital Open House.

We’re looking for a few rock stars to join our rapidly-growing team, including Senior Enterprise Sales Managers and Inside Sales Representatives.

In the past 12 months, we’ve started working with some of the best employer brands and partners across the country — and you’ll be pivotal in continuing that growth. You’ll be able to help shape and execute a sales strategy, generate high commissions and sell a product that has been called a “game changer” in the market.

Sound exciting? Then see you at our Open House!

Not into sales? We’re also hiring a PHP Developer and a Web Developer.

Be Brazen!

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The post Are you a Sales Rock Star? Come Work for Brazen! appeared first on Brazen Life.

Ryan Healy here, Co-Founder & COO of Brazen Careerist. I want to let you know about some exciting developments at Brazen.

As many of you know, we launched in 2008 as a tight-knit network of bloggers writing about careers, salaries, work and everyday life as a young professional. We then quickly grew into a networking site for professionals to discuss, connect, grow and learn from each other through conversation. Hundreds of thousands of you made real connections that turned into real friendships, shared your experiences with a supportive community of peers, established and built your professional brands, and generally had fun in an online environment that was built for you, by you.

You might have noticed over the past 12 months that the number of virtual career fairs and recruiting events we host is increasing, and that’s because more and more employers are asking us to help connect them with job seekers through our virtual events (which grew out of Network Roulette through the help of all of you, our community!). Registration, participation and the number of hires made from these events continues  to climb, and the feedback from job seekers and recruiters alike has been incredible.

After more than a year of testing and learning, we’re committing to this new and unique way of creating the right connections and conversations through our virtual events. With this new focus, we have made the decision to shift our attention away from the social networking portion of our site.

When we make the switch, we will officially “retire” the Brazen Careerist professional networking site. What this means is that if you are a member of the social network, your profile, groups, conversations, fans, trending discussions, private messages and your fan feed will no longer be available.

This does not mean Brazen is going away. In fact, it means just the opposite: we’re here for you more than ever, we’re simply shifting our attention to the products that provide the most value to you and to our clients. The community will still be alive and well, and we sincerely hope you remain a part of it.

Our core communication and engagement will shift from the social network to the Brazen Life blog. We have an awesome team of writers and editors creating great career content every day, and you can always find interesting debate and conversation in the comment section.

Thanks to the foundation we’ve built here, within the community, our content is now reaching more people than ever. Outlets like The Chicago Tribune, The Huffington Post, AOL Jobs, and Business Insider all want to share the “Brazen” voice with their audiences. We will also continue providing valuable skills and career training through our bootcamps and our soon-to-be-released partner courses.

If you want to save any of the information from your Brazen profile, you have the next two weeks to do so. Please note that any personal information you submitted as part of your profile will no longer be visible on this website and will not be used for any purpose. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@brazencareerist.com if you have any questions.

I’m incredibly excited to take this next step in the evolution of Brazen. Stay tuned for many more great products, enhancements and updates in the coming months.

Again, thank you for being a valued member of our community. Your continued support of Brazen means the world to us.

Cheers,

Ryan Healy
Co-Founder & COO
Brazen Careerist, Inc.

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